As a new parent there are many things that can be frightening about having a newborn, such as health problems, illness, and injury. However, one of the most serious is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, more commonly known as SIDS. As scary as this condition is, it is vital that parents know about SIDS and how to prevent it.

Simply put, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is what happens with a typically healthy baby dies unexpectedly in a way that can’t be explained. The most common case of SIDS is when an infant doesn’t wake up from its sleep. This condition happens most commonly in infants between the ages of 2-4 months of age. There is no known cause for SIDS but medical experts have found that certain practices and factors in the way you care for your baby can play a part in increasing or decreasing the chances of SIDS occurring. One helpful piece of information to provide your doctor with is if there has been a history of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in either parent’s family. Some doctors believe that preexisting cases of SIDS in one’s family could mean a genetic defect that may cause a brain abnormality that affects breathing. The reason why SIDS and breathing are commonly linked together is that the majority of cases involving SIDS deal with infants that have suddenly stopped breathing in their sleep, causing death.

Unfortunately, there are no hard and fast rules for preventing SIDS completely but medical experts have found the following actions to be pretty effective at keeping your baby safe until he/she gets older and is no longer vulnerable to SIDS:

Have your baby sleep on his/her back. This has been found to be the best preventative measure for SIDS. Babies put on their stomachs or sides to sleep are more likely to suffocate against the bedding material so putting your baby on his/her back is a must at night or during naptime. It’s fine to position your baby otherwise if he/she is awake or playing. It’s vital that your family members, babysitters, and other caretakers follow this practice as well.

Keep your baby in the crib. It’s fun for parents to bring their infant to bed with them but this seemingly harmless action can increase the chances for SIDS. Babies can easily become trapped in the bedding material and suffocate. You can even accidentally forget the baby is there and may roll over onto him/her. As much as it seems tempting, keep your baby in its crib for all sleeping and naptime periods.

Choose the right bedding material. Stay away from fluffy blankets and thick quilts. Opt for thin material that is breathable. Avoid lambskin and use a firm mattress instead of a fluffy or deeply plush mattress. You don’t want any bedding, material, or fluffy toys that your infant could possibly get a hold of and suffocate from.

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